| What makes one e-commerce web site a raging | | | | and phrases |
| success, while another similar one barely gets a | | | | Use Pay Per Click facilities such as Overture to |
| visitor much less sells anything? Ask any small | | | | get quick results and control your budgets |
| business owner and you're likely to get a range of | | | | Make sure you don't waste offline opportunities. |
| answers from "Cool technology" to "A really sexy | | | | Publish your web address/email on all company |
| web site", and more likely than not: "Being Number | | | | literature and include it in all your adverts. |
| One on the Search Engines".Important some of | | | | Use Sig files on ALL emails |
| these things may be, they're not actually the core | | | | Sign up affiliates and pay them a commission |
| elements for success! And it's for this reason that | | | | Use a Viral Marketing email campaign |
| most people go wrong when they go online. In | | | | Publish email newsletters and information to build |
| fact, the main factors, or decisions, that make a | | | | an email list |
| web site successful or not, take place long before | | | | Research your market carefully to find out what |
| a line of code is written, or a graphic designed or | | | | methods people use to find and buy your product |
| anyone puts finger to keyboard to write any | | | | service and concentrate all your efforts on those |
| copy. We list below, in order of importance, the | | | | channels. |
| ten things you should concentrate on if you want | | | | 7. Make Sure Your Web Site Copy is Clear and |
| your e-commerce web site to be a rip-roaring | | | | Persuasive |
| success:1. Do Your Research | | | | Perhaps the most overlooked element of web |
| The first thing that you must remember (and | | | | site development these days is copy - that is, the |
| this is the bit that everyone seemed to forget in | | | | words been all those pretty pictures, flash |
| Internet "Gold Rush" of 1999) is that the same | | | | animations, and whizzy functions. A great deal of |
| business principles apply to your internet business | | | | web site copy on the internet today is utter |
| as any other. You must: a) Have a product | | | | rubbish, and many online shops feature hardly any |
| service with a solid perceived need; b) you must | | | | at all! You get a welcome message, product titles, |
| be able to sell it at a price that is profitable and | | | | pictures, maybe a few specifications, and great |
| provides good value to the purchaser and; c) you | | | | big "Buy Now" buttons. Once again, it seems that |
| must be able to reach a sufficient number of | | | | people jump onto the Internet bandwagon and |
| potential purchasers (and convince them to buy) | | | | forget that there's a real human being on the |
| to generate enough revenue to make your | | | | other side of the computer screen and he/she |
| business viable. And to find out that, you need to | | | | wants information and wants to be treated with |
| research your market. Thoroughly.The first and | | | | some respect. Basic business rules still apply, and |
| most obvious thing you need to find out is the | | | | with some modification, your approach to your |
| "need" factor. Note I said "perceived" need, | | | | web site should be similar in many respects to |
| perhaps better described as a "want". We buy | | | | traditional mail order or direct/distance selling. And |
| lots of things we don't need, because mainly we | | | | the golden rule of mail order and direct selling? |
| think we need them. So, will people benefit from | | | | The more you tell, the more you sell! Professional |
| your product or service? Do you genuinely believe | | | | copywriters throughout the marketing ages have |
| you can convince people they need it? To find | | | | known this all along. The theory has been tested |
| that out, you have to ask them! But we're not | | | | to the ends of the universe and the result is |
| there yet: it's one thing having a product that | | | | always the same. Long copy outsells short copy |
| people do actually need, but if there are already | | | | every time. But there are some rules and some |
| lots of people supplying it, then you might have a | | | | adaptation of this basic fact when thinking about |
| problem with part b. You are only going to be able | | | | the web:General rules: |
| to sell your product/service at a profit AND and a | | | | Your copy should be clear and concise in its |
| price people think represents good value if 1) Not | | | | construction |
| many other people provide it or 2) yours is better | | | | Every sentence needs to be short and snappy, |
| (and/or cheaper - but for reasons explained later, | | | | with short words |
| this is not usually a good route to take). Again, | | | | Where possible, one sentence per paragraph (if |
| you must do your research and find out before | | | | it's sales copy, editorial is different) |
| you do anything else. And finally, can you reach | | | | Use headlines, sub heads and bullet points |
| this market cost-efficiently and find enough people | | | | Every single statement should contain a fact, |
| to buy from you? This is the one great strength | | | | benefit or persuasive argument. Don't waste a |
| of the Internet and e-commerce: it's much | | | | word! |
| cheaper, it's faster and has a much wider reach | | | | Spend MOST of your time creating headlines, |
| that any other communications channel so far | | | | they are the single most important factor in direct |
| invented! But it still costs time and money, and | | | | mail sales success and the same goes for the |
| you have to be realistic, so you need to research | | | | web. Special Web Rules: |
| your market and work out if you have the time | | | | Break up copy that's more than about 500-700 |
| and money to reach it.2. Work on your Strategy | | | | words long into seperate pages |
| OK, so now you know, hopefully, that there is a | | | | Always try to close the prospect at the end of |
| need for your product or service, that not many | | | | each page as well as having a "more" link to the |
| people offer it at the price/profit/value level that | | | | next page |
| you can, and you know that thousands of people | | | | Try to include a close or buy link above the |
| who use the internet a lot and who you know | | | | "waterline" (ie before they have to scroll to read |
| from your research can and do buy online, will | | | | the next paragraph or sentence) |
| want to buy it from you. So now you work on | | | | Try to inject as much "personality" into your |
| your strategy. This is key. You cannot simply say | | | | copy as possible. A web page can be a particularly |
| "Hey, we've got a great product and a big | | | | "cold" place - so add as much human warmth as |
| market, let's slap up a web site and we'll get rich!" | | | | possible. Remember, people buy from people they |
| You need to sit down and carefully work on how | | | | like. |
| you're going to do all of this. You need to know | | | | 8. Make Sure your Navigation is Easy, and that |
| what your goals are. If your goal is to "sell lots" | | | | your Web Site Design and Backend Technology |
| you'll sell nothing! I Guarantee it. You need to work | | | | are all focused on a Great Customer Experience |
| out where your want to be in 1, 3 and 5 years | | | | Only now should you be thinking about the build |
| time at a minimum and then work back from | | | | of your web site and its technology. It's at this |
| there. If you start with that and work back, then | | | | point, you can finally consider your web site's |
| a lot of the pieces will fall into place. Your strategy | | | | design and how it will look. Remember, web design |
| should apply to all your business, and your web | | | | (any design) is subjective. No matter how much |
| site or Internet bits will only be a part of it (a big | | | | time or money you spend on it, or how proud |
| part, perhaps...). For example, if you have a | | | | you are of it, a certain proportion of your visitors |
| product with a big ticket price, and you only sell 5 | | | | will still think it's crap. But guess what? They don't |
| a year, then you don't want to start planning in a | | | | care, and if you get everything right it has almost |
| shopping basket system and credit card | | | | no bearing at all on sales. But there are three |
| payments! Selling on that scale will need lots of | | | | important elements to web site design:1. Ease of |
| relationship building and face-to-face interaction, so | | | | navigation comes FIRST. Make sure your fancy |
| you need to work out how your Internet | | | | page design doesn't confuse and frustrate your |
| e-commerce strategy will enhance and benefit | | | | customers. Keep it simple. And bearing in mind |
| that. A good web site to that will impress people | | | | that no matter how good the site looks, lots of |
| who pay £50,000 for your product? A | | | | people will hate it, so make sure the design is not |
| newsletter system to help keep in touch during | | | | overbearing. Make sure that, whether your |
| the long sales cycle? It's a completely different | | | | customer likes your site or not , it's not an issue!2. |
| approach to selling £20 watches....3. | | | | Get it done professionally. Good, professional |
| Concentrate on Existing Customers | | | | design inspires confidence in your customers, and |
| If your business is already up-and-running and | | | | on the web that's a precious commodity. They |
| you're simply adding an Internet presence or | | | | may not always like it, but they'll appreciate that |
| improving on it, then your existing customers | | | | it's been done professionally, and that therefore |
| should be treated like Gold. They can actually help | | | | infers that your are a professional company.3. |
| you bring your business online. Test the waters | | | | Make sure that the site is clean and uncluttered, |
| with them, ask them what they think at each | | | | and avoid too many flashy animations, whizzy |
| stage, build the system around them and their | | | | bits, and Flash downloads that will slow your site |
| needs and you'll end up with a template that will | | | | down and annoy your customers, no matter how |
| help you expand online in the sure knowledge that | | | | "cool" you think they are. And whatever you do |
| it will attract and help keep new customers. And, | | | | avoid "front Door", "click here to enter our site" |
| of course, if you do it right, you can start making | | | | intro-type pages AT ALL COSTS! Especially Flash |
| extra money online right away, without a single | | | | ones. They are utterly pointless and delay your |
| new customer, by using your web presence to | | | | customer from getting to what they're after, |
| save money and improve relationships with your | | | | which is information about your company |
| existing customers so they buy more from you.4. | | | | products/services.And finally, the technology - |
| Make Service a Priority | | | | especially the "Shopping cart". So long as it works |
| While the Internet can help you cut costs and | | | | properly, doesn't mix up customers' baskets, can |
| make your business run more slickly, you've got | | | | cope with demand, and deliver orders reliably, |
| to remember that it can also be very impersonal. | | | | then your choice of "cart" technology will have no |
| One of the most valuable things I've ever learnt is | | | | bearing whatsoever on sales success. Other than |
| that people buy from people they like. And they | | | | that, your technology and the complexity of your |
| don't like to be let down. The media is littered with | | | | system will be dictated by what it is you actually |
| stories of people who managed to click and pay | | | | need to achieve. We've mentioned newsletters, |
| for something online only to wait weeks for it | | | | CRM, customer support & service and so on - all |
| never to turn up. Emails don't get replied to, | | | | your technology choices MUST be made to make |
| phones don't get answered (if the web site even | | | | these things easy for you to manage and to |
| publishes the number!), and they get constantly | | | | enhance them. And most of all, your technology |
| fobbed off. Yet the Internet is an ideal tool for | | | | must ALWAYS be geared towards a great |
| delivering better customer communication! But | | | | customer experience.9. Get Pricing in Perspective |
| many businesses use a flash web site to hide | | | | and Think about your Market Positioning and your |
| behind... That's another quirk of the Internet - it's | | | | Value Proposition |
| possible to gain customers more quickly than | | | | There's one final myth about the internet (and |
| traditional methods, but you can lose them like | | | | business in general) that I'd like to explode and it's |
| lightening if you provide a poor service. News | | | | this: People buy on price. The myth that you must |
| travels fast on the internet - even faster if it's | | | | be cheap, even cheapest, on the internet has |
| bad news...5. Work out your Communication and | | | | grown exponentially, especially with the advent of |
| and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) | | | | shopping price comparison engines. Combine this |
| policies and procedures | | | | with the widely held (and largely correct) belief |
| As I mentioned before, the Internet provides | | | | that using the Internet to sell reduces cost, most |
| excellent tools and opportunities to build | | | | people think that price is the only issue, and that |
| relationships with customers and clients. By this | | | | you must be cheaper than everyone else to |
| stage of your planning, you're chomping at the bit | | | | succeed. Nothing could be further from the |
| to "get something up and start selling" but winning | | | | truth!A buying decision is a bit like an iceberg, of |
| a customer is a bit like wooing a woman (please | | | | which the price element is the highly visible tip. |
| forgive the sexist nature of this analogy!). You | | | | The bulk of the decision reasoning takes place |
| don't run up to a woman you like a scream in her | | | | hidden away from view, and many in business |
| face "I want to have babies with you, NOW!" So | | | | ignore it at their peril. When a customer says to |
| why do people do this online? You need to build | | | | you that you're too expensive, they are not |
| into your plan ways and means of starting and | | | | actually saying that your price is too high. What |
| growing relationships with your customers and | | | | they're really saying is that they are not |
| clients. You need work out ways of opening a | | | | convinced that the benefit your are offering |
| dialogue, finding out about them, and helping them | | | | exceeds the investment they have to make. |
| find out about you. Did you know that research | | | | They don't like your Value Proposition. The |
| shows that people generally visit a web site | | | | problem is usually that you haven't convinced |
| seven times before they feel confortable enough | | | | them enough about the benefits, not that you're |
| to buy anything? So what are you going to do | | | | charging too much. On the internet, this brings us |
| that makes your web site interesting enough for | | | | back, actually, to point/step seven where I |
| people to visit seven times just to look at it? And | | | | explained the massive importance of your sales |
| when they do, what then? Is it like a one night | | | | copy. If your web site is simply a catalogue of |
| stand? Or do you send them emails asking if they | | | | products and prices and a shopping cart, what |
| are happy with the product/service? Can you | | | | else has any site visitor to go on when making a |
| send them a regular newsletter that they find | | | | judgment other than price? So you've cornered |
| interesting? And do you have a system in place | | | | yourself immediately. You have no option other |
| to manage all of this - for example, can you track | | | | than to go cheaper than your competition to |
| how many times a customer has been contacted, | | | | make the sale. If, however, you make a big deal |
| by what method, and what was said? You can | | | | in your web copy about the benefits of buying |
| and should build up a valuable database of detailed | | | | from you (like prompt delivery, great service, |
| customer information, their buying habits, what | | | | reliability, money-back guarantee, free insurance |
| they like/don't like and a system for contacting | | | | or whatever you can think of) then suddenly, |
| them on a regular basis.6. Offline/ Online | | | | price is not an issue. People will pay your higher |
| Marketing, Search Engines & Pay Per Click | | | | price for peace-of-mind, great service and extra |
| Ah, search engines. The magic bullet of | | | | benefits than taking a risk with the cheap, nasty |
| marketing... or so the Search Engine promotions | | | | web site that might let them down. And when |
| "experts" would have you think. The holy grail for | | | | you feel under pressure to drop your price, say |
| many is "being number one on the search | | | | for a special offer, why not try adding a free |
| engines", and great though that is, your success | | | | extra benefit instead? It's much more effective |
| or failure actually hangs on what happens when all | | | | and more profitable! Instead of knocking 10% off, |
| that traffic gets to your web site - it's got | | | | offer 10% more!Another issue that you need to |
| nothing at all to do with being No1. In fact you can | | | | look carefully at, especially on the Internet where |
| actually bankrupt your business by being No1. A | | | | credibility is hard to achieve, is your Market |
| sudden flood of traffic can burst your bandwidth | | | | Positioning. Your prices say a lot more about your |
| budget, have you running to Dell or HP or | | | | company than you think. Although people like to |
| whoever for more servers, bring your web site | | | | say they love a bargain, every single one will |
| to it's knees, and, if all those visitors turn up and | | | | make the assumption that cheap = nasty. If your |
| don't find what they're looking for, you make | | | | prices are too low, people will assume there's a |
| virtual enemies of thousands - even millions - of | | | | catch or you're cutting corners. If you want to |
| potential customers. Once again, before you even | | | | position your business as the best in its class, then |
| think about Search Engines, you must go back to | | | | people will only feel good about you if your prices |
| your research and your strategy and start again | | | | are at the top end of the range. Too low, and |
| from there. Ask yourself: What is my ideal | | | | suddenly they lose faith in you because |
| customer? What search engines do they use? | | | | "something doesn't ring true". If your prices are |
| What key words do they use to find services | | | | "unbelievable!", then so are you!10 Tackle Fraud & |
| products like mine? What's my USP? What | | | | Security |
| magazines do they read? Are there cheaper | | | | Internet fraud is a big, big issue and you can't |
| better ways of reaching them than via search | | | | ignore it. Most online customer will admit to being |
| engines? There are, of course, certain low-cost | | | | extremely wary of handing out credit card details |
| no-cost golden rules that everyone should follow. | | | | online, especially to new web sites that they have |
| Your web address and email address should be | | | | never come across before. So, you need to have |
| printed on all your stationery. If you send out | | | | security and fraud policies in place and (here we |
| catalogues, promote your web site in it. Add a | | | | go again about copy!) make sure you tell your |
| promotional message (including a link to your web | | | | customers that you have these and you will take |
| site) at the bottom of all your emails (this is | | | | great care of their personal information.At the |
| sometimes called a signature file or sig file). The | | | | very minimum you need: |
| key is to think about your promotion from your | | | | A secure server and SSL certificate for your |
| customer's perspective. If you do that, then, at | | | | order pages |
| least as far as Search Engines are concerned, you | | | | A privacy policy that clearly informs your |
| can focus on relevance. Make sure that people | | | | customers that you pass their details onto |
| who find your site via search engines are actually | | | | nobody and that you keep them safe. |
| looking for what you have to offer and are ready | | | | |
| to buy. You are relevant to them and they are | | | | One of the best solutions is to use a Payment |
| relevant to you. If my sales target in my | | | | Service Provider (PSP) to process your credit |
| strategy is to sell 100 units a week, then all I | | | | cards for you. The better known and respected |
| really need is 100 buying customers from Search | | | | ones such as WorldPay are best, because the |
| Engines. If I use all the tricks in the book and haul | | | | general public are aware of them and know that |
| a million visitors in who aren't even vaguely | | | | they have strong security measures in place. And |
| interested in my widgets, I'm wasting their time | | | | from your own perspective, you gain some |
| and my money. To sum up, you should: | | | | protection against law suits and some relief from |
| Aim for a number one Search Engine listing ONLY | | | | the risk and responsibility of looking after |
| for well-researched, highly targeted key words | | | | customers' valuable credit card information. |